This week is National Junior Auxiliary Week and it's no coincidence that members of the Hope chapter have gathered together for Wednesday's coffee. Vice President Carmen Galvan-Cole described her reason for joining the organization.: "I wanted to give back to my community. I am originally from home. I was a kindergarten teacher for nine years. So I want to get back to my community."
She also explained what Hope's Junior Auxiliary has been preparing for most recently. "Our provisioners are coming up with their project tomorrow. It's called dress for success. They're going to help [students] fill out job applications, college applications, scholarship applications, and also do mock interviews and provide them with [advice on] what should you wear to interviews," Galvan-Cole said.
Soon after that will come an important event that determines how much help JA can provide to Hope's young people. "Next week, we're having one of our biggest fundraisers, Senoritas and Margaritas, and that helps us provide scholarships, and pay for our services for families when we do Operation Holiday Cheer, when we provide food for Thanksgiving," Galvan-Cole said. "And then for Christmas, we provide food and gifts for the children."
Indeed, as Galvan-Cole said, spring is a busy time for Hope Junior Auxiliary, with members having recently organized an essential children's activity and provided an education tool for elementary children. "Last week, we had our Easter egg hunt, along with our Egg Your Yard fundraiser. And then another thing is, we give books to all the first graders in Clinton Primary."
Recording secretary, Parliamentarian Angelica Manzanares (and incoming Vice President) Angelica Manzanares said what drew her to become a member was a chance to "make things a little bit better for our kids and the kids of our kids and future generations. To provide something back for them to do different activities in the community to keep them busy, and then be able to help out wherever we can."
She and Galvan-Cole said their favorite JA activities were the Senoritas and Margaritas fundraiser as well as the opportunity to see the faces of children as their dinners and gifts arrive in Operation Holiday Cheer and in the Christmas season.
